Personal Demons
by shegal92
Summary: With Felix's impending departure to college, Ms. Renton is forced to deal with the temptations that will arise from his absence. As if facing her inner demons wasn't enough, her ex returns from the past and exposes Ms. Renton for who she was.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: Don't own anyone, just doing different takes on once-or-twice-seen characters.

**Prologue:**

"The request from Prisoner Number 01000101 came in again today." The secretary announced as she entered the room, setting the daily stack of papers pending signature on the director's desk. The director didn't even glance away from her computer screen.

"Request denied. Again."

Betty Director continued for a moment, before her peripherals picked up the fact that the blonde intern hadn't left yet. Her eye broke away from the computer screen and looked at her. She wasn't sure of this one's name (Jill, was it? Maybe Jane?); she didn't bother learning the temps'. This girl wasn't the kind who lasted around Global Justice, too nervous and fidgety. That might've just been because she was in the presence of the highest figure in the entire secret agent spectrum, or perhaps she listened to the rumors that circulated around the rec room.

She took a deep breath.

"Director, I really think you should reconsider…"

Ah, the nail in the coffin; questioning the director. She'd probably be out by the end of the week. She seemed to realize her mistake, if the tremble in her voice was any indication, so Dr. Director decided to cut her some slack. She sighed.

"I'm not wasting my time with Prisoner 01000101. She thinks she can get in my favor and in turn shorten her sentence." Dr. Director explained blandly. The girl bit her lip.

"…she's been ill." She continued, "Vomiting every morning, unusual fatigue, tenderness of certain parts of her body, abdominal swelling…lack of menses…"

Dr. Director's attention went from half to full, staring at her.

"Are you suggesting…?" She trailed off. Jill shrugged.

"She went to the medical wing today; they're going to run tests."

Dr. Director picked up her phone and dialed the number for the Go City Asylum's medical wing. It was actually somewhat pathetic that she knew it by heart.

"Betty?" The other line asked curiously.

"Dr. Jones, have you diagnosed Prisoner 01000101?" She asked abruptly. He considered for a minute.

"The electrical fanatic? Yes, she tested positive for pregnancy, nearly fourteen weeks along. It's a strange thought, a super villain having a baby, huh?" He mused.

"Thank you," Dr. Director said curtly before hanging up. She turned to the secretary, "I've changed my mind; have her brought here immediately."

"Yes ma'am." Janie chirped, having the grace not to brag as she slipped back out.

A few hours later, Prisoner Number 01000101 was escorted into Dr. Director's office. She held her head high despite the two Global Justice officers on either side of her, shackled and handcuffed.

"It's so kind of you to make time for me in your busy schedule, Director." She said pleasantly, her smile bordering smug. It threw Betty off, the lack of her signature accent; was that as much a part of her super villain act as her costume?

"Of course, Electronique. Take a seat."

She sat down and Dr. Director glanced at her midriff. It was hard to tell; the orange jumpsuit hung off of her as though it was three sizes too big (knowing the Go City Asylum's budget, it probably was). Dr. Director dismissed the agents and they departed, the door clicking shut as the two women were left to face each other. Prisoner 01000101 sighed lightly.

"They say it's unusual to show around the third month, especially for the first child… I suppose I'm not that lucky."

"Don't play coy with me." Dr. Director hissed, "You want something."

Electronique rolled her eyes.

"_Everyone_ wants _something_; you're going to have to be more specific." She dropped her act, though, the smugness fading as she looked at the director. Betty pressed her lips tightly together, not breaking the eye contact.

"Do you know who the father is?" Electronique jerked back, looking offended.

"Of course I do. I'm a super villain, not a tramp." She huffed, then smiled mischievously, "I suspect you know too, and I suspect you'll want to keep this quiet."

Here it came. The bribe. Dr. Director sat and waited; after a couple of decades dealing with classical villains, she knew that they'd eventually explain their own schemes. Electronique paused, in case Dr. Director had something else to say, before continuing, her gray blue eyes grave.

"I don't want my child to grow up on the wrong side of the law. I want it to have a normal childhood, happy and safe and doomsday-device-free." Dr. Director considered her words, only mildly shocked at the statement. They'd use whatever they could in order to get ahead, even their own offspring. It was low but considering the selfish mentality of criminals, not unexpected.

"…this isn't just your first offense, or your second, or even your third." Dr. Director pointed out, "You have a habit of relapse."

"This time is different." She said firmly, "I'm serious about being a good mother, and I'm going to need your help for it to have any chance."

Dr. Director arched an eyebrow and Electronique had the decency to look humbled.

"You're the only one who can hide us from his father."

**III**

You know, I never thought I'd get into Electronique as a character... But then this plotline popped into my head and I ran with it. I'm enjoying the new style of writing I'm doing for my fanfiction here; writing a rough draft and completing the story before editing it chapter by chapter and posting it. Makes it a lot cleaner. Anyway, hope you like, and stay tuned for more.


	2. The Prison of Suburbia

Disclaimer: Don't own anyone, just doing different takes on once-or-twice-seen characters.

**Eighteen Years Later**

Elena Monique Renton slowly opened her eyes, her brain pulse alarm clock simply pulling her from unconscious instead of her being jarred by an annoying beep. She sighed, popping the device off of her temple and setting it on the nightstand. She relaxed back into the bed, staring up at the ceiling.

She had relived that night right before waking. The taste of red wine, prime rib, and his lips. The soft glow of the candles and the feel of satin sheets sliding around them like water. The warmth of their bodies and their voices, soft at first, but growing louder and louder as they rocked the hell out of that bed.

Now she was reminded that her bed was a solitary twin, and she hadn't seen the father of her son since that night. She was a suburban single mother living in Middleton, Wisconsin, relatively friendless and the only action in her life being the chance to tinker with elementary electronics that the lab referred to as "advanced cyber robotics". Oh how the mighty had fallen.

She rolled out of bed and shuffled to the bathroom, undressing and stepping onto the mat outside of the tub. The shower automatically turned on, hot, the water at the perfect pressure. She stepped inside.

She knew exactly what she'd be doing at work today; toiling over the alien technology again to try and unlock its secrets. At first it had been a fun challenge, something to devote her energy to. Now it was just an annoyance, a Rubik's cube with half of the stickers peeled off. She couldn't lose herself in her work at a time she desperately needed to.

She toweled off and a preselected outfit concurrent with the mood the bath mat had read appeared before her. The whole house had evidence of her boredom with the mundane present, crawling with useless technology. Useless to her, anyway; she was sure some lazy lackwits would be glad for the mechanical arms grabbing everything out of the kitchen cupboards, the automatic ironer or the A.I. lawn mower.

The coffee was already brewed by the time she came down to the kitchen, and a metallic arm poured her a cup. She picked the mug up, blew the steam off the surface, and stared out the window. It was a bright morning, one that had probably started off as a violent red. The kind she had given birth to Felix during, after an endless night of labor.

He had come too early, nearly three months too early, and the fear of losing him had hung like a fog in the room, shared by doctors and making the pain of contractions almost invisible. But they offered him to her alive during that scarlet dawn, wrapped up so tight he could barely move, a small pale blue cap hiding his dark brown hair. His eyes were open, curious she'd like to believe, and she gazed down into them. They were so much like her own.

"He'll probably never walk." The doctors and nurses informed her. She shrugged them off.

"I don't care, as long as he's healthy and mine."

And honestly, Felix's paralysis had never bothered her much, not when the threat of losing him had been so real. She had simply used her talents to help him be as normal of a kid as he could be.

The love she had felt during that first day with him had never worn off. He was more precious than the world to her, which was quite the statement considering her past.

Her buttered toast came up in the toaster; another mood reading from the bath mat. She took it and nibbled, feeling no particular hunger. Well, not in her stomach, anyhow.

"Morning Mom."

Elena turned at the voice to see Felix coming into the kitchen behind her, smiling cheerfully. She smiled back at him, picking up her cup of coffee in her free hand.

"Good morning, Felix. You're up early for a summer day." She observed.

"Yeah, well, Zita works the night shift now, so I can't sleep half the day." He explained, the robotic arms getting to work on his bowl of cereal.

"So I guess she won't be coming over for dinner for awhile, huh?" Mrs. Renton surmised. He shrugged.

"Maybe on one of her days off."

She moved to sit with him at the kitchen table, making a bigger effort to eat the food in front of her. Zita was a nice enough girl; she had been in Felix's grade and worked at the movie theater. It was cute spying on the pair of them while they played video games and she was proud to see just how much of a gentleman Felix was turning into. He didn't seem to be doing anything with her that would make her blush…

Felix listlessly swirled his cereal around in his bowl, clearing his throat and speaking up.

"So, how late are you going to be working tonight?" The question caught her off-guard.

"I'm not sure, why?"

"You know that motorcycle we were trying to convert?" He asked. She nodded, "I was thinking we could dig that out and get back to work on it. Together."

She grinned.

"That would be great."

Deciding that she had time to spare and seeing how nice it was outside, Elena decided to walk to work. The few blocks were nothing compared to those in the city, but she'd often get odd reactions when she took the time to stroll to Middleton's resident science and technology labs. The labs covered everything from rocket science to robotics to bioengineering (though most had the good sense to stay away from that wing if they liked their genes the way they were). It was convenient enough, anyway; back in Go City labs had been spread out all over the place.

She went through the first half of her shift without incident and quietly slipped into a seat in the lunch room. She had just taken her sandwich out of her lunch bag when a voice addressed her.

"Dr. Renton?"

She glanced up to see a man with slightly graying brown hair, a constant alertness in his facial features. Then again, she supposed one would always be alert if they had twin boys running around like he did. She smiled.

"Please, Dr. Possible, call me Elena." She motioned to the empty seat across from her and he took it, setting down his own brown-bag lunch.

"Elena…" The name tumbled awkwardly from his tongue, "I try to keep my nose in my own business, but you've seemed…a little off the last week or so. Is everything okay?"

Of course she was off, more than James realized. She might've physically been in Middleton, but her heart and mind were miles away in Go City. Hell, she was hardly even herself _here_; she felt as though her skin was beginning to crack and through the cracks her other self was showing. The electrical villain bent on destroying Team Go and bringing Go City to its knees self. Electronique. But outwardly she gave James a weak smile; it was nice of him to care.

"Yes, I'm alright. It's just…" She trailed off, deciding to be somewhat honest with him, "It's just the fact I only have a month and a half left with Felix before he goes off to R.P.I. Then I'll have to face an empty nest."

"I know what you're saying. I can't believe my little Kimmikub's going off for college either," he confided, then rubbed the back of his neck, "Then again, I also have Anne and the twins at home…"

It wasn't the same. She doubted Kim was the only reason James wasn't a mad scientist, wrecking havoc technologically on a world that had scorned his genius. Once Felix was gone, she'd either have to find another reason to play the goody two shoes role, or return to her old life and come up with a plan to keep Felix in the dark about her exploits. She couldn't bear the thought of telling him about her past. There were some skeletons best left in the closet.

James reached across the table and set his hand on hers reassuringly. She was surprised at the sudden touch, but had the grace not to pull away. As a woman who worked primarily with metal, human touch had always been a shock, the unexpected warmth of it.

"We just have to treasure the time we have left with them…and there's always Christmas break." He reminded her. She nodded.

Hopefully Felix wouldn't have to spend part of his Christmas visiting his mother in prison.

The mediocre day continued, just adding another ordinary date to her calendar of normal. She just had to keep her cool a few more weeks, then she could- Her thoughts trailed off as she noticed something left behind on a desk. She walked over curiously and sucked in a breath.

A gun. A Lowardian ray gun, probably confiscated after the invasion just like the pods. It had been the first weapon she had been close to in years. She glanced around, but as usual she was the last one out of robotics. She shouldn't take it; doubtless it would be missed, and after this spring Betty wouldn't give her any more leeway. But it had been the first weapon she had had access to since Silicon Valley…

She slipped it into the inner pocket of her lab coat and left the building without raising suspicion.

Felix was playing a computer game when she came through the door. She laughed.

"I see you got the virus I put off of it already." She said playfully. He grinned slyly at her.

"You're gonna have to try harder than that, Mom."

She felt a glow inside of her. If she had charted his probable genetic outcomes, taking both parents into account, she would've assumed he'd be smart. But it felt more like his own trait, following in her footsteps with his love of technology (though it was usually for video games). Valedictorian of his class, partial scholarship to a great school, and a gifted athlete… What wasn't there to be proud of?

Viruses were just some of the puzzles they presented to each other, along with riddles, jigsaw puzzles, Sudoku, and anything else they could throw at the other person to try and stump them. He set the laptop down and wheeled towards her.

"I've got my grease monkey clothes on." He announced. She glanced down at herself and smirked.

"Well what do you know, so do I. Go on ahead and get it out of hiding, I'll be right there." She said, making her way to her bedroom.

She slid out a key from her pillowcase and, first glancing at the doorway to be safe, unlocked her closet. She pulled it open, exposing her true self for a moment as she tucked the gun away. She locked and put the key back in its place before going out to the garage.

The idea behind the motorcycle project was to get it to function similar to Felix's wheelchair, at his touch or thoughts. It had been good in theory, but working with an older clunky piece of junk made it more difficult than simply starting from scratch. It cost more to repair the "free" motorcycle than it would be worth, but now it was a matter of principle to get it up and running. Mrs. Renton typed away on her laptop, trying to find a way to downgrade the wheelchair's complex coding, while Felix worked on figuring out a way to have it stand upright even when it wasn't in motion.

"Promise me you won't go crazy when I go off to college." Felix spoke up. Elena's heart lurched as she glanced over the top of the screen.

"What do you mean?" She asked casually. He snorted.

"I might've been little, but that doesn't mean I don't remember," he insisted, frowning as the motorcycle wobbled, "You used to date a lot of bad people." Elena rolled her eyes.

"Just because someone goes to jail it doesn't make them a bad person," she defended.

"I know, I know, but I'm just telling you to be careful with your bad boy itch. I don't want you found dead in the woods somewhere," he scolded. Elena smirked.

"I don't know…I believe my deranged psychopath radar is pretty spot on." She said, deleting a whole line of binary and starting again.

"Don't get me wrong, I don't mind you dating," he verbally backpedaled, "Just…don't go for ones with criminal records."

"But criminal records are sexy."

"Then no assault cases." Elena opened her mouth to make a perverse comment, but decided they were already deep in inappropriate parental conversation territory. Last thing she needed was to scar him mentally.

"I suppose I'll have to tell Motor Ed my son doesn't approve of me dating bad boys."

Elena was answered with an oily rag to the face. She laughed and threw it back at him, the phone ringing just as he caught it.

"That's probably him right now," she teased, getting to her feet and jogging over to the garage's land line. She picked up the receiver, "Hello?"

The other side was quiet for a moment, and then a voice spoke softly.

"Lena…"

Shivers like electricity ran up Elena's spine. Her mouth dried out and her free hand began to shake.

"…how…?" She croaked. He breathed; a heavy breath, as though he was relishing the sound of her voice.

"It's not important. What matters is that I found you, my little spark, and I'm going to take you back."

"No…" She mumbled weakly. She was all too aware of Felix staring at her, but she ignored him for the time being.

"Yes. I've had enough of this game." She could hear him drumming his fingers, "As I see it, you have two options. Step outside right now and give yourself over easily, or resist and postpone my inevitable victory. Which will it be?"

Elena hung up on him. Felix was over to her side in a second.

"Who was that?" He asked, eyes showing his anxiety.

She summoned her best poker face and shook her head.

"Someone had the wrong number," she lied. Felix looked doubtful.

Had he found her? Or did he only have her number, toying with her to keep her on the line long enough to trace her location? How much was he bluffing? Betty had _promised_ her she'd be beyond tracking. Had she stayed in Middleton too long, or was Middleton too high-profile? She was just a few streets away from America's favorite crime-fighting cheerleader, after all…

A true mother would have gone out and surrendered peacefully, pleading for her son's safety. But Electronique had reared her wire-covered head and refused to play into his hands. If he wanted her…and how beautiful that thought was…he'd have to take her down fighting.

**III**

I figured the prologue was too much of a tease to keep the next chapter too long. I suppose this is what a villain with a mid-life crisis would look like…


	3. The Careful Tapestry Unraveling

Disclaimer: Don't own anyone, just doing different takes on once-or-twice-seen characters.

Elena knew she _should_ call Betty and tell her what was happening. She _should_ admit that the director's perfect little team had failed to protect her and Felix after all, no matter how inevitable this scenario was. She _should_ warn Felix not to trust any stranger, no matter how official looking, and be careful if he left the house. Hell, she _should_ convince him to spend a week at the Stoppables'; at least that would put him out of the line of fire.

However, Electronique never "should" on herself, and so Elena went to work, acting as though she hadn't received a life-changing call last night. Her day was spent mulling over the treat she had waiting at home. Felix had plans with Ron tonight, so she'd have the house to herself for a few hours…

"Dr. Renton, there's a phone call for you." The intern announced. Elena set down the panel she was working on, making her way to the public phone.

"Elena Renton."

"Yes, I know your name, Lena."

Elena closed her eyes. For a minute she had hoped it was someone other than him.

"It's rude to hang up on a villain giving an ultimatum," he chastised lightly, "Or are you really that out of touch with your old ways?"

"How did you find me?" She murmured bitterly, keeping her voice low. She could almost see his amused face on the back on her eyelids.

"Despite the "War of the Worlds" come to life, the high school graduation of the cheerleading crime-fighter still garnered plenty of media attention." He paused, his tone losing its smugness, "I saw his eyes…_your_ eyes. The valedictorian... You must be so proud. Did you know they panned to you during his speech?"

"Rather clumsy of GJ not to catch that," she mumbled.

She could feel the smirk on his lips and felt a pang of longing strike her gut. It almost wasn't fair, her self-imposed separation from him. There had been nothing wrong with their love; no abuse, no irreconcilable differences…

"…are you over me?" He asked softly. She shook her head.

"Never."

"Then why are you resisting?"

"Felix." He was silent, chewing over the name.

"Fair enough. But knowing that some part of you still wants your old life, still wants _me_… I won't give up."

"I never asked you to."

She hung up, feeling an odd glow in her chest. It was no time to focus on her own desires, however; getting Felix out of the way before the war began was her top priority.

Her walk home was more foreboding. Agents with Greek letters on their chests were posted around her route home, painfully conspicuous in their attempts to be inconspicuous. She kept her hand close to her pocket, fingering a pen. Betty wouldn't even let her carry around pepper spray after the third or fourth slip-up, as if she had ever used pepper spray in any of her schemes. If the director was so concerned about her being up to no good she would've forced them into an Amish community.

But Elena digressed; one of the agents was trying to get closer to her under the pretense of throwing some trash away. Apparently the garbage can was invisible to her, and he was determined to cross the street to dispose of it. Elena grit her teeth; she'd never been very good in hand-to-hand combat. That was what hench people were for…

A good natured honk pulled her out of her line of thought. She glanced up and smiled as James slowed down, rolling down the side window.

"Need a lift?" He asked. Elena nodded.

"Sure, thank you." She shot a triumphant look at the disheartened agent, who had stopped in his tracks at the offer, before slipping into Dr. Possible's passenger seat.

He dropped her off a few blocks later and she thanked him, making a bee line for the closet in her room. Her hand trembled in anticipation as she reached for the ray gun, pulling it out of its hiding place. A weapon, a beautiful glorious weapon…and one they hadn't even mentioned was missing yet! She sank to her knees as her fingers instinctively started to pry at it like an enthusiastic biology student dissecting a frog.

"Now, precious, tell me your secrets." She cooed in her abandoned accent, instantly absorbed by her passion.

Felix Renton had always been close to his mother. Never having a father in the picture and moving to a different state every other year tended to do that to a kid. She was the one constant in his life, though Middleton was turning into what he considered his home town to be. Leaving for college didn't scare him that much; it was the fact that it was the first move his mother wouldn't be a part of that unnerved him.

So he tried to make the most of the time left in Middleton. Hanging out with friends (especially Zita) while his mom was at work, making sure he was home around the time she was so he could spend some time with her… It was a careful balancing act. There was something comforting in the monotony of combo moves and killing evil brain-starving zombies, a distraction from the facts he'd have to face.

He wasn't sure how close he'd stay with his friends, since they were all going on different paths.

He wasn't sure how well his relationship with Zita would fair with the whole "long distance" thing.

His mother was past due for being shipped off to a different job to work at (so few technological geniuses, so many positions for them). He may not come back to Middleton until he was ready to settle down with his own family.

"It's not fair!" Ron Stoppable whined, "My character hates me!"

"Aw, come on. You know it has less to do with the character than me being better than you." Felix insisted, scooping up another slice of pizza.

"Cheater," Ron muttered under his breath. He paused the game and settled back into the couch, taking up his own slice, "You up for another round after this?" He asked. Felix shook his head.

"Nah, man, I've gotta head back. Mom's going to be home in a bit."

"So?"

"So, I'm worried about her." Felix chewed over a bite slowly, "I dunno… Ever since graduation she's been acting really weird. Like she's not even here."

"She's daydreaming. Isn't that normal for smart people?" Ron asked.

"It's different," Felix insisted, sighing, "And then there was that call last night…"

"What call?"

"We were out in the garage and she picked up the phone." He grimaced, "Her face…she was totally freaked, worse than the babysitter off of "When an Unfamiliar Person Dials". She was all like "how?", but the other person did most of the talking." Ron frowned.

"You think your mom's in trouble or something?" Felix shook her head.

"I dunno…" He admitted, "But I don't want her alone."

Felix wheeled away from the couch and out of the Stoppable household, heading home. Maybe he was just being paranoid; maybe it was just a relative she didn't want to talk to. The only family Felix had met were his grandparents up in Canada, whom he stayed with whenever Mom had a business trip she couldn't take him with on.

Come to think of it, Mom never really talked about her past. At all. He guess he should've asked more questions, but he just took her for who she was now.

He rolled into the house, which was oddly silent. He went through the kitchen, the living room, even his room.

"Mom?" He asked. Maybe she wasn't home yet.

He went towards her room, slowly opening the door. He looked inside and found her on the floor, a gun in her hand, pointed towards her head.

Even if Elena was rarely one-hundred percent positive, Electronique was. She had found a way to turn it from a lethal weapon to just a mild stun pistol. She looked down the barrel, trying to find the tell-tale warm-up glow as her finger rested against the trigger.

"MOM!"

The word was a bomb, jerking Elena out of her high and back to reality. Felix was in the doorway, staring at her with a mix of horror and revulsion.

"Felix!"

"Whatever's going on…whatever's bothering you…it's not worth it. Please…put the gun _down._" His voice shook as he spoke slowly, purposefully.

Oh god. Oh dear heavenly god he thought she… She set the gun down, nudging it away from her with her foot as she raised her hands near her head.

"Felix, my darling, please, this isn't what it looks like." She begged.

"Really? Then what _is_ it?"

A robotic claw jumped out of his chair and snatched the gun, holding it even farther away. He flicked open a panel on his arm rest and pressed a red button.

"No!" Elena screeched.

"911, what is your emergency?" A calm voice came out of the chair's speaker.

"It's my mom," Felix choked, "My mom…she just tried to commit suicide…"

Elena shook her head helplessly as Felix listed their address. Her rational mind was flooded with pesky emotions, and she was unable to summon a good reason as to why she had a gun in her hands. All she did was try to keep the tears from slipping out of her ducts, her voice rough in the waiting silence once 911 had hung up.

"Please…my baby, my beautiful beautiful baby boy… I know it looks bad but I promise you, I wasn't…" Felix's eyes were hard, unforgiving. She wanted to throw up as she recognized them as her own merciless eyes, usually hidden behind thick goggles during such fits of rage.

"We're going to get you help, Mom." He said firmly.

She wasn't sure how long she had been on her knees, pleading with him as he stared back at her, when she heard the faint beginnings of sirens. The sound only made her sobs heavier. Everything was spiraling out of her tight control. First the call, now this…

"Just call them off, Felix, please. Tell them it was a mistake, I promise that this is all it was. I'll tell you everything, Felix, every last thing, just please don't make me go with them."

Maybe Elena didn't have a son; maybe the boy in front of her belonged to Electronique. His cool detachment certainly seemed like it, his own tears a steady leak in comparison to her violent weeping.

"No, Mom. You need to go, to get help."

"I don't need help!" Felix jerked back in surprise and she realized that Electronique's voice, the fake yet very well done Belgium accent, had slipped out of what was supposed to be Elena's mouth.

It was the first time she had ever used it in his presence.

Desperate people did crazy things, so Elena sat there, helpless while the officers burst their way in, one taking each arm as they hauled her to her feet. Limp as a rag doll, she went down the ramps and out to the waiting police car, parked alongside an ambulance. She had worked so hard to keep it together until he left, and giving into her little temptation had ruined everything. It was absolutely crazy to Electronique that she wasn't fighting, but what was there to fight for? Her son had no comprehension about what was going on, and the hospital might serve as a sort of shelter from her ex. He wouldn't be likely to look for her there.

**III**

So I was having a little chat with Mengsk about Electronique and her mental state; as far as I had posted she seemed like a somewhat stable adult, maybe with some huge issues but still able to function in society. Then I got to the end of editing this section and I was like "…nope, this girl's bat-shit insane". Because even at exposing that she's more than just a housewife discontent with monotony to her oblivious son, terrified of losing him…she kinda went off the rails on a crazy train with her reaction to calling the police. So you win this debate, Mengsk, but I'm sticking to my narrative guns. Even if the main character is not so much misunderstood as someone who needs a heavy dose of medication and a nice long stay in Arkham Asylum.


	4. Calling 911 Didn't Solve Anything

Disclaimer: Don't own anyone, just doing different takes on once-or-twice-seen characters.

A nosy (yet well-meaning) cheerleader noticed the sirens heading towards the Renton house and immediately put on her jacket. By the time she got there, though, she could only just make out the woman in the back of the cop car. She immediately went to try and find Felix, who was still talking to the police officers about what happened. There was something heavy about his posture, and she waited until they were alone. He nodded when she invited him to her house, so he wouldn't have to face the night alone. It was the sort of kind gesture he came to expect from Kim Possible.

"I knew she wasn't happy, but I had no idea it was to this degree." Mrs. Dr. Possible murmured. Mr. Dr. Possible nodded.

"Well, you know what they say; more often than not it's just a cry for help."

Felix sipped half-heartedly at something warm, his body and emotions numb (shock, maybe). He wished Kim would stop staring at him; it was worse than her getting used to the wheelchair. Yes, a bomb had exploded in his nice world, but the last thing he and his mother needed were sympathy. His mother wanted to die…maybe.

Mrs. Dr. Possible reached out and touched his shoulder. If his reactions had been a bit more timely, he might've jumped.

"You did the right thing, Felix," she murmured. He shook his head.

"I dunno… Maybe she wasn't trying to kill herself." The Possible clan seemed to take a moment to register this. Felix set his mug down and sighed, "There wasn't a note; she didn't quit her job or make a will or anything. She had time to pull the trigger before the cops came… She's never really even talked about her own death."

They looked pitying at him, as though _he_ was catching the crazies, too.

"If she wanted to do her own research on the Lowardian death ray, all she had to do was get clearance." Mr. Dr. Possible said softly. Mrs. Dr. Possible squeezed his shoulder lightly.

"She's going to get help now," she murmured. He nodded.

Maybe it was denial; maybe it was a hunch. Maybe it was the memory of her watching the news about a teen suicide and muttering under her breath how selfish they were. Maybe he just knew his mother would've planned it out better. Maybe it was because he couldn't get the image of her, begging him, crying, on her knees, promising she had a reason and she'd tell him everything… He wheeled off to the Possible guest room, trying to clear his head.

He didn't have room to take chances, not with her. Whatever issues she was having, she'd be watched and cared for at the hospital.

By the next morning, he still didn't have any answers for the event.

Kim came into the kitchen, glancing between Felix's bloodshot eyes and his untouched plate of bacon and eggs.

"Didn't sleep?" She guessed. He shook his head.

"Nah, though I went through the eight stages of grief."

"…I thought there was only five?"

"Really? Huh." He played with his fork, "Least I stopped trying to figure out _why_ she did it."

"That's good."

It was no use trying to come up with an answer, he had realized eventually. Some things just were. He poked at his eggs.

"Mom's going to check on her once she gets a break," Kim offered bleakly, "She says if everything goes well you might even be able to visit her tomorrow… If you wanted to."

"I do," he murmured, pushing the eggs a little.

For awhile, the only sounds were of the two teens picking at their food, unsure what to say or do. Then, the phone rang, and Kim jumped out of her seat, grabbing the nearest phone.

"Hey…hang on, Mom, I'll put you on speaker."

She set the phone down on the table. Felix glanced at it with mild interest, and Kim hit the speaker button.

"Alright, go ahead, Mom."

"…as I was saying, I have to be the bearer of bad news," Mrs. Dr. Possible took a deep breath, "There's no "Elena Renton" here."

"What?" Felix snapped, "How? That's the nearest hospital to here, isn't it?"

"Let me correct myself; none here _now_," There was the sound of shuffling papers, "There was one here last night, but she was transferred out within fifteen minutes."

"Transferred? To where?" Mrs. Dr. Possible paused.

"…the Lowerton Female Penitentiary." Felix's stomach dropped.

"You mean prison?"

"…yes."

"Why?" Kim exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, I don't have that kind of information," she murmured, "I'll talk to the E.R. nurses; they'll blab if there's anything worth saying."

The calm that he had obtained from surrendering to not knowing why had suddenly disappeared. Now, the news had settled into the pit of his stomach; his mother was in a very different kind of cell now.

The rest of the day passed by in a slow, fitful way. Kim had contacted Wade to see if she could dig up anything, but besides that there was nothing they could do but wait.

Eventually, the Kimmunicator went off, and Wade got straight to the point.

"She's got an outstanding warrant," he murmured, gesturing at his computer screen, "She wasn't supposed to have weapons of any kind, apparently including alien technology. Her record's got some higher authority's fingerprints all over it."

"Did you hack it?" Kim asked. Wade nodded gravely, before glancing at Felix.

"You sure you want to hear this?" Felix nodded firmly. Wade sighed.

"…she's got quite the criminal record…" he said slowly, "Assault, theft, electrical terrorism… Her last arrest was during spring break…but it doesn't say where, just "corruption of justice"."

"What?" Felix snapped, "How? She's never been in prison while I was alive…"

He closed his eyes, rubbing at his forehead. Just last night he was trying to accept that maybe his mother had some underlying depression he wasn't aware of… Now they were telling him his mother was some major _criminal_?

"Not "how"; who." Wade corrected, before turning to Kim, "I've traced some encrypted RSS feed… Global Justice has been monitoring her file since Day One." Felix opened his eyes again.

"Global Justice?"

"Maybe they're the ones covering her." Kim mused, before turning to Felix, "A secret organization whose mission is to ensure-"

"International morality?" Felix guessed. She smirked and nodded.

Felix wheeled back from the small screen.

"There's only one thing to do now. Ask her about all this," he said bluntly. Kim bit her lip.

"You sure about this? We might just be scratching the surface," she pointed out. Felix looked her in the eye.

"It's a little late to back out now. Hopefully we hit it during visiting time."

**III**

_Neither side of Dr. Elena Renton's personality could stand fundraising dinners. They felt like a humorless joke forced upon her, because she just so happened to be good at public speaking and was one of the most (if not __**the**__ most) attractive personnel at Go City's Research and Development Center. She was little more than a harlot trying to earn money for her lover, spewing out information that sounded impressive and flew over the heads of the philanthropists seated at their dinner tables. If she had money, she'd be eager to invest in the sciences, but unfortunately her hobby was expensive. Things blew up more often than not, and black market dealers only accepted cash._

_ She left the stage during polite applause and made her way towards the back of the room, where her own table would be reserved. She did enjoy the dress she had been given for the occasion; a strapless silver number that shimmered like liquid mercury every time she moved. A mild train followed behind, the slits up to her pelvis adding more to her "come hither" appearance. As if her strut and confidence weren't enough. _

_ She was surprised to see someone sitting at her table; a young man with his dark hair slicked back and looking oddly comfortable in his business suit. The air he gave off shook away the notion that he was simply mistaken as to where his seat was. He glanced up at her, then bowed his head respectfully._

"_Dr. Renton." He acknowledged. She slid into her seat, watching him warily, "I am Agent Beta, sent here from WEE as a messenger. I am also a personal fan of your work." Elena's lips curled up in a sneer._

"_You're a cyberrobotics aficionado as well?" He hesitated, choosing his words carefully._

"_Not an aficionado; more of an appreciator of those more capable than I with technology. The work I'm here to discuss is of a less…legal type." Elena arched a sculpted eyebrow._

"_I wasn't aware I was so obvious." Agent Beta smirked._

"_You're only obvious because you've been on our radar for quite some time."_

_ Elena leaned back in her seat, draping an arm over the top of the chair._

"_The Worldwide Evil Empire, huh? And what do they have to tell me, messenger boy?"_

"_They are offering you a position, head of electronic development." Smoothly, almost as though it was practiced, he pulled out a business card and placed it in front of her, "Bias aside, they pay very well, and have excellent benefits." Elena snorted._

"_I don't work under contract." She said bluntly pushing the business card away from herself. He shrugged._

"_Fair enough. It was worth a try, and I'm sure they'll make room for you immediately if you change your mind," he glanced around, "May I buy you a drink?" Elena looked him over._

"_Isn't this the part where you disappear in some mysterious manner?"_

"_Usually yes, but I was hoping I could spend the remainder of this evening in the presence of an intelligent, lovely lady such as yourself." He grinned, "Not only would I escape the monotony of desk work, but I could attempt to convince you to accept my boss's offer. I can be quite persuasive."_

_ Elena sized him up predatorily. It was the first attractive man that had hit on her in quite some time, and a secret agent at that. There was something about him she liked; his charm perhaps, or maybe that smirk…? It couldn't hurt to let him stay._

"_I like a good red wine." She said and he grinned. _

"_I'll make sure it is."_

Elena's eyes opened slowly as she returned to consciousness. Another lovely dream/memory, something to hold onto while she was losing footholds. This one wasn't nearly as disappointing to wake from, because even if it had been a nice evening, it wasn't one of their best. She shivered as she sat up, looking around. A padded cell, windowless, lightless, and almost devoid of heat.

So, they weren't letting her near any form of electricity. That was awfully clever of them, but it was also a cruelty. It was just cold enough to be annoying.

She drew her knees up to her chest, her mind replaying Felix's reaction yet again. Would he try to visit her in the hospital? Would they tell him where she went? Or was he so hurt he didn't even want to see her? She rested her head back against the wall. This wasn't the way she wanted him to learn about her. She wanted to sit him down, to speak softly and tell him who she had been, who she was _now_. Now she had been robbed of it by her carelessness.

But maybe…just maybe he hadn't learned about Electronique yet. In that case, she still had a chance.

There was a rap at the door and her eyes flicked towards it, otherwise motionless.

"Ms. Renton, you have a visitor." Doctor, she corrected him mentally. She had a PHD in engineering because of the money she made thieving and she was damn proud of it.

She got to her feet and allowed herself to be cuffed, the vague hope that Felix was this visitor surfacing. He led her through the corridors to the visiting center, the one where she didn't have to use a phone to talk to someone on the other side of the glass.

She grimaced as she was led over to her "visitor", not sure if she should feel relieved or disappointed.

"Afternoon, Betty. Or is it evening? I have no way of knowing," she remarked offhandedly. The director of Global Justice glanced up from her steepled fingers, glaring as Elena took a seat. Dr. Director waved the guard off and, hesitantly, he stepped away.

"Just what were you trying to pull with that gun?" She asked crisply. Elena frowned.

"Nothing," she said honestly, "I was just playing with it; it's been so long… And then Felix came home and everything was blown out of proportion."

"Bullshit," Dr. Director snarled, leaning across the table "I know you better than that, and after this spring's incident in Go City, you've made one strike too many."

Elena shifted at the invasion of her personal space, glancing distractedly at a cluster of men towards the door.

"…I don't follow sports, but doesn't it take three strikes for a player to be considered "out"?"

"You've had _way_ more than three strikes, and I've bailed you out each and every time." No, not always, Electronique corrected her. More often than not she had slipped out of custody before Global Justice even knew an incident had occurred. But Betty was in no mood for technicalities, "I'm going to leave you in here and let the courts decide what to do with you. If they're kind, you might be let out in time to see your grandkids get married."

"And what about Felix?" She asked, her eyes not leaving the men. Dr. Director snorted.

"Your chance to be a mother is _done._ You messed up and broke our agreement, and now I'll make sure he's kept away from both of his parents." She growled. Elena clenched her teeth, resisting the temptation to lunge at her and rip her throat out.

Elena managed to control her urge, playing with her handcuffs instead.

"I suppose I will be safer in prison, if the security is as tight as they claim." She stated with a calm she didn't have, "I just worry about Felix; I doubt I'm WEE's only target." Dr. Director's eye narrowed at the mention of the opposing organization.

"What are you getting at, Electronique?"

Elena glanced back at Betty, explaining levelly.

"There's four WEE agents; two at that door and two at the exit to the cells. I would think a top GJ spy would've smelled them out, but what do I know? I only dated one." Dr. Director went pale, before casually slipping a hand into her pocket.

Their cover blown, the men charged towards them, but Electronique had already shifted into gear. On her feet in an instant, she kicked her chair at the ones the director was targeting with her taser. Back-up would be on its way, no doubt, and Electronique didn't like how small this room was. She ran for it, dodging the other pair and ducking through the doorway.

_Run little vixen run_, she thought morbidly. _Get away before the hounds catch you._ And run she did, not bothering with thoughts of retribution for escaping. Right now the threat of being dragged away without her consent was much greater. They followed her relentlessly, threatening to overwhelm her in the tight quarters. She was used to relying on her stamina to outlast her pursuers; here it didn't look like that was an option, with at least a dozen men trying to box her in.

She noticed a metal detector and sprinted through it, falling to her knees and pressing her back against the main circuitry. Her fingers grasped the wires and went to work, her brow furrowed in concentration as she went by feel and experience. She could hear them closing in on her, ready for the kill. She finished her rerouting in the nick of time and she sprang to her feet.

The agents funneled through the metal detector like cattle, or at least tried to. There was a satisfying "zzzz" sound and then cries of pain as they scrambled away from the impromptu electrocuting trap. Electronique allowed herself a quick second to bask in her accomplishment before she ran towards the prison's front doors. She wasn't sure how much time she had bought herself, but surely it would be enough for a head start. That was all a villain could ask for.

Sprinting down the road, she didn't even recognize the car pulling over until she heard "Mom!". She turned on instinct towards the voice and saw, in the passenger's seat, what she insisted had to be an illusion.

"Get in!" Felix urged. Not an illusion, a coincidence, she corrected herself. The backseat door swung open of its own accord and she didn't think twice before hopping inside.

Elena chanced a glance back through the window and saw the prison erupted into chaos, people and agents alike running around and shouting at each other. Perhaps Betty would take her a bit more seriously, and be a bit quicker to offer help to Felix in the future, she mused.

**III**

Oi. Finals sure take the time out of a writer's life and, of course, this chapter needed some major editing, so that's what's up with the wait in case y'all were wondering (which you probably weren't). Anyway, you'll finally get some blunt answers next chapter; Electronique's got nowhere to tip-toe around Felix anymore, especially with agents swarming Middleton like fan girls on a celeb. Please review and stay tuned!


	5. Womanhunt

Disclaimer: Don't own anyone, just doing different takes on once-or-twice-seen characters.

Elena Renton was faced with a conundrum; she had precious little time to explain to Felix the situation, but behind the wheel of the car was Kim Possible. She had hoped she wouldn't have to face her son's friends about a certain incident involving a reverse polarizer and one of the teen heroine's arch enemies. Jeezus, she was out of touch.

"So, are you going to explain _why_ you were running away from the prison? It didn't look like you were let out on good behavior." Felix said dryly, "Maybe you killed a guard, you don't have murder on your record yet…unless they just haven't convicted you."

"Felix Nicolaus Renton, it doesn't matter that I've been a criminal for the majority of my life, I am your _mother_ and you will respect me," she hissed, verging on slipping into her accent. Felix glared at the rearview mirror, then just slumped into his seat and grumbled incoherently.

Kim, wisely, remained silent, driving them back to her house.

A rush of shame washed over her as they walked inside and her colleague (probably former by now) stared in horror at her in handcuffs and a prison jumpsuit. Her face flushed and she refused to meet his eyes, following Kim and Felix into the living room.

"May I have a paper clip, or a needle? Or, if we really want to be old-fashioned, a bobby pin?" She asked, taking a seat on the couch. Kim opened her mouth to object, but Felix rummaged through a storage compartment in his wheelchair, finding a safety pin and handing it to her. She took it between her lips, turning her head and dropping it into her waiting hand, "I was hoping this wouldn't come up, not until you were out of the house."

"Mom, it's not like I found your spring break pictures from Tijuana. Your record says you're a _terrorist_." Elena wrinkled her nose.

"Terrorist? Really? I suppose "super-villain" was too cartoonish a label." Felix and Kim stared at her, and she sighed, "Yes, Felix, I'm one of those costumed freaks your friends have to chase after, James Bond romanticism and such. I was one of the handful that trailblazed the way into the industry for women; before us it was a gentleman's club. They called me a feminist, but it wasn't like I was out there making a grand statement about gender. I was just having fun."

She paused, gauging Felix's response. He seemed as though he was barely holding himself together, half grieving and half furious. For a speech eighteen years in the making, it sure was rough around the edges. She took a deep breath.

"When I found that I was pregnant with you, I decided that villainy was no life for a child to grow up in. I struck a deal with the head of Global Justice, Betty Director; I would play nice as long as I could raise you in a normal suburban home."

The handcuffs fell from her wrists and she rubbed at them, glad for the fresh air on the skin. Felix shook his head.

"This doesn't make any sense. Why would she agree to that? And how normal would my life be, moving around all the time…" he paused, staring at her, "_Why_ did we move around so much?"

Electronique sighed.

"I didn't stick to the agreement as firmly as I should have," she admitted, "Old habits die hard. I dabbled; nothing too grandiose but enough to make myself a few enemies."

"…the business trips…" Felix realized with horror. Elena nodded, her voice softening.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't stop myself from scratching the itch." She glanced towards the window, "I never wanted you to get caught in the middle of all this… It was inevitable, though, no matter what precautions I took. What's happening now…it was bound to occur sooner or later." Felix furrowed his eyebrows.

"What are you talking about? Me learning that you're some kind of evil scientist?"

"Besides that," she murmured, drumming her fingertips on her knee, "There was another reason Betty had us move around so much… The fact I blackmailed her with when I originally went to her for help." The corner of her mouth turned up in some semblance of a smirk, "I was glad you never asked, but now you have to know this. Your father…he's a WEE agent." Felix stared at her uncomprehendingly.

"A what?"

"The Worldwide Evil Empire, Global Justice's enemy," Kim murmured. Elena nodded.

"The last thing Betty needed was you, Felix." She curled her hand into a fist, "She couldn't have your father finding out about you; he didn't need any more reasons to clock in and work hard. But this will backfire… He'll be furious that she hid us from him. The secrecy was necessary for your well-being, though; I wasn't sure if he'd honor my desire for your evil-free childhood. But back to your original question," she closed her eyes, "The unedited truth of it is the man I met as Agent Beta, your father, has found us. He sent his agents to catch me, and that's why I had to flee the prison. Now it's only a matter of who will find me here first, GJ or WEE."

"Why does someone have to find you?" Felix asked, a quiet challenge in his tone as he rolled closer, "We can get out of here, we've got time." Electronique snorted.

"These are two of the largest, most well-equipped organizations on the planet. We're clever, but not that clever," Elena glanced at Kim, "I know I have no right to ask for a favor but please…look after Felix."

Kim straightened, looking surprised as she was suddenly addressed. She nodded.

"Yeah, of course."

Elena got to her feet and reached out towards Felix. Her hand gently brushed his cheek, smiling softly as her eyes started to water. A feeling of dread settled into the pit of his stomach.

"I love you, Felix. I always have, since the moment I first knew about you, and I always will, no matter what. I am so proud of the man you have become," her voice cracked, "Nothing will ever change these facts, these truths amidst all the deceit." Her thumb caressed his cheekbone as she cleared her throat, "In my closet, there's a suit. I don't expect it to fit you, but if you can manage to tinker with it…it has thousands of volts shooting along its skin and claws that can slice through almost any metal. If you need it, it's there."

"Where are you going?" He asked. She smirked half-heartedly.

"Away, buy you some time. I'm still holding on to the hope you're not a target," she shrugged one shoulder, "Your time to be impartial might be running out, sadly."

Felix frowned, a far more pressing issue on his mind.

"Will he hurt you?" Elena shook her head.

"Not badly, and not nearly as much as Betty will after all of this," she assured him playfully.

Elena nodded at Kim, before walking out of the living room and out of the Possible household.

Kim turned to look at Felix, trying to read him. He looked pained, but pained about what? About his mother leaving him? About the fact that she had lied to him his entire life and now the lie had exploded into this mess? Felix composed himself, clearing his throat before looking at Kim.

"So…you ever fought my mom before?" He asked. She laughed nervously.

"I dunno; she didn't say who she was. Must be a pretty good costume."

"Um, KP?" Ron suddenly strolled into the living room, looking confused. He jerked his thumb towards the front of the house, "Why is Felix's mom driving your car? In a prison uniform?"

Electronique allowed herself the rare luxury of guilt as she backed out of the driveway in Kim's car, nearly hitting Ron in the process. Her fingers drummed restlessly on the steering wheel, her left foot bobbing in time to her pounding heart. The thrill of it all was intoxicating, but there was the nagging sensation that she shouldn't be excited about this. Felix's life had just been turned on its head, and now she was abandoning him. But it was the old game that she had played so many times, a taste of the life she missed so much. The attention was flattering.

She was careful not to speed around Middleton; God knew she didn't need to be pulled over while she was still wearing her prison jumpsuit. Her eyes flicked around, scanning for men in latex suits, or anyone with a patch over one eye. Perhaps they were too occupied with the prison… It was too smooth of an escape from town.

The trouble came once she was on the highway. Searchlights fell across the car and she heard the whirr of a low-flying helicopter. She growled some obscenities, trying to recognize it. This distracted her until it was too late to turn around, and she was stuck facing a road block. There were few cars caught by this obstacle, and she didn't have enough time to slip off the prison uniform. She assessed who had set up the block; if she was lucky they'd be ordinary police officers.

Those were GJ agents. Shit. That left her with only one unsavory option. She put her car in park, clicked off her seatbelt, and slipped out of the vehicle. She kept close to the car and low to the ground, but the helicopter's searchlight caught the orange and made her impossible to sneak away unnoticed.

"You there! Stop!" The yell made her spring like a trap, sprinting for the cover of nearby woods.

Her eyes adjusted quickly to the lack of light, keeping a steady pace as she dodged the underbrush and dove deeper into the forest. She saw brief glimpses of light, flashlights and floodlights from above, and steered clear of their paths. The bay of bloodhounds made her chortle under her breath; now she _really_ felt like she was in a foxhunt. They were coming from both her left and right now, honing in on her. She wished she was just a little quieter, but right now speed was more important.

She didn't see the plan until it was over. She was suddenly out in the open, skidding to a stop in front of a giant lake. All land routes were cut off, the dogs being reined in by their masters. She narrowed her eyes at the men. The signs on their uniforms and the generally lower IQ reassured her she wasn't going back to prison tonight. She glanced at the water again, sorely tempted.

"I wouldn't go for it if I were you." A smooth voice warned her, "You'll only find more agents lining the opposite shore."

Elena slowly turned around, stiffening defiantly.

"Gemini, how kind of you to make an appearance. I was beginning to think you were the sort of commander who led from behind a desk," she said coolly, her voice lilting with the hints of her old accent.

"You must be very proud of yourself, Electronique of Troy; starting a battle between two rival organizations for your possession. It's taken quite the manpower to secure you."

The wall of agents parted slightly to her right and a figure emerged, tall, muscular, and traditionally sinister looking. Her hands balled into fists as she caught sight of him, keeping her feet planted firmly where they stood. Gemini waved his hand dismissively, the moonlight reflecting off the metal.

"Leave us," he commanded. The agents obediently dispersed and, though she was avoiding looking at him, she could feel his eye on her.

They listened to the footsteps fading away, their own silence broken only by the small wakes lapping at the shore. There was the light grind of footsteps sinking into rough sand as Gemini closed the gap.

"Lena…" The soft passionate tone of a lover.

Elena looked up and felt her chest swell, emotions jolting through her. Her heart didn't recognize that nearly two decades had passed, just that he was here, still fighting for her.

"Sheldon," she murmured, tilting her head back and reaching upwards. He didn't need any further encouragement.

Strong arms wrapped around her as she tasted his lips, lips that personified desire and heat. She dissolved into him like salt into water, throwing away any pretense of resistance. Perfectly crafted, perfectly controlled Elena fell aside to let Electronique fully and truly emerge.

There was a sting on her arm and she glanced down in time to see the last of a syringe's contents disappearing into her bloodstream. She snarled.

"I thought we agreed no _sedatives_." He looked down at her smugly, brushing the hair away from her forehead.

"That was before you disappeared off the face of the earth without so much as a note."

Seconds later, the anesthetic started to work its magic, and things were getting a bit hazy. Her knees buckled and he caught her, resting her head against his chest and scooping her up bridal-style. There was the vague sense of movement, and then Elena fell unconscious.

**III**

If someone had poured an ice cold gallon of water on Felix's head, he probably wouldn't've noticed it. His brain pinballed through the facts his mother had given him; facts about the life he thought he knew, facts about herself, facts about the people _coming to get them_. He tried to fill Ron in on what was happening, but he had to backtrack several times, or just had a giant question mark instead of a concrete answer.

"Man," Ron concluded, sinking back into the couch. They were both staring at the t.v., but not actually watching it, "Your mom's a super villain hiding from your secret agent father with help from a covert government organization. …you can't write stuff like this." Felix nodded his agreement.

Maybe, if he was really lucky, he'd learn it was just some joke. A reality show, maybe.

Kim came back into the living room, rubbing the back of her neck nervously.

"I got a hold of Dr. Director…" She murmured, looking down at her feet, "They saw her on Wannaweep Way, but she ran… They think WEE caught her." Felix frowned.

"What does that mean?"

"Well, maybe it'll be different for your mom," Ron warned, "But they cuffed _me_ to a table, tempted me with my favorite foods to take a job there, and then when I told 'em no they threatened to obliterate me." Felix grimaced.

"I don't like those odds. Either way I'm going to lose her."

"Relax. She's an ex-villain, right?" Felix nodded, "Then she'll probably take the job offer."

"Ron!" Kim hissed. Felix sighed, rubbing at his forehead.

"He's right…" He started towards the door, "Is my house gonna be safe? Or does someone have it booby trapped?"

"Dr. Director says that WEE cleared out of Middleton after they got her," she said, forcing a smile, "I guess you aren't a target."

Was that supposed to be reassuring? That the forces fighting over his mother were adult enough to leave him out of it? Maybe he wanted to be a target, to be able to use himself as a bargaining chip. To do _something_ instead of twiddle his thumbs and hope for info.

Kim and Ron escorted him home, three shadows on the Middleton sidewalks. Kim planned out loud; tomorrow they'd check in with Global Justice, and see what they could do to help them rescue Dr. Renton. If GJ wanted them out of it, they'd launch their own scheme. They knew where the WEE quarters were and, regardless of her decision, they'd bring her back.

The house seemed safe enough, not ransacked or too quiet or anything. Felix almost went to his room…but glanced towards his mother's room instead.

"I'll be right back, you guys," he said before rolling that direction.

Nothing had been touched since the other day; her lab coat was still tossed on the bed and the closet door was still ajar. He remembered the warnings his mother had given him never to go through her closet. It didn't matter anyway; every time he tried it it was locked. He went to the beckoning cabinet, took a deep breath, and then brushed the hanging clothes inside.

There wasn't much, but enough to solidify Elena Renton's guilt of a second life. A set of lock-picking tools, a couple issues of some magazine called "Villainess", a file filled with newspaper clippings of rare and expensive artifacts, a business card from a guy named Sheldon Director… A second life that he had never imagined existed. He was vaguely aware that Kim and Ron were there standing off to one side, not trying to intrude but too curious to keep away. Felix leaned forward, pulling out a bulky metal chest. It didn't take him long to get the combination figured out; if it wasn't in binary, then it wasn't an option for his mother's codes.

He lifted the lid to reveal two items. The first was the suit she had spoken of and he pulled it out to examine it. It wasn't bulky, but it didn't move as easily as cotton clothing, like chain mail. It had a feminine figure to it, and there was no way his hands would fit into the petite claws. He slipped a hand inside the suit, and it crackled with static electricity when it moved. He set it aside and picked up the second item.

It was a head piece with wild welded hair, a smooth metallic face, and goggles. It too crackled at the warmth of his hand and he stared into its dark eyes.

"I'm surprised she wasn't arrested by the fashion police." He joked, holding the helmet up for them to see. Kim sucked in a breath and Ron's jaw dropped.

"Your mom's Electronique?" He exclaimed.

"Indeed."

All three of their heads turned at the voice. Dr. Director stood casually in the doorway, appearing seemingly out of thin air. There was something familiar about the woman, Felix thought; the eyepatch, the hair style. Maybe he'd seen her a few times when he was a kid, like a mother's friend you didn't pay attention to when you were young but were there all the same. She bowed her head.

"It's rare that super villains ever express the desire to settle down; we don't think of them behind white picket fences, or with families. But it must happen, at least occasionally," she mused. Felix set the helmet back down into the chest, his eyes never leaving the stranger.

"Who are you?" He asked. She smiled.

"I'm sorry, Felix; it's easy to forget that you don't know me. I am Dr. Director and, according to several rather extensive paternity tests, your Aunt Betty." Felix stared at her, as did Kim and Ron. Dr. Director seemed nonplussed, though, gesturing down the hallway, "I'm sure you have quite a few questions about all of this, and they will be answered in time. But right now we need to get going; your mother is probably spilling the beans to Gemini as we speak."

"Do I have a choice?" Felix asked skeptically. Dr. Director smirked.

"That's the entire reason for this charade, isn't it?"

**Le End**

Oh em gee, how dare I, rite? Just as we finally figure out who the father is, Felix learns the basis of his mother's past, the rival organizations seem to be warming up for a battle over one boy… I end it. Is it a publicity stunt? No, because statistically only about half of the readers of the original will go for the sequel. I have my author stylistic reasons for this. One, because shorter stories are easier to work with, and can be edited/written faster, ergo faster turnaround time. Two, because they are two different kinds of stories; this one is more of a mystery, while the sequel is more suspense-driven.

So yes, if you aren't too off-put by having to read a whole different story instead of just clicking to the next chapter, I would implore you to follow me on the next half of the adventure. Felix is just getting his feet wet with all of this, after all, and two lovers are finally reunited after almost two decades. Speaking of, I was surprised only one person was brave enough to put it forward that Gemini was the father; guess I wasn't as obvious as I thought I was.

Anyway, thank you for taking the time to read this, and I hope to see you with the next installment. Really, it's not so much a sequel as the second act of a play, or the second half after intermission or something.


End file.
